Win 10 mSTX Server
- Thread starter BadDecisionDino
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Project update:
Ended up cutting down the CPU cooler backplate to get it to fit, made sure to sand any sharp edges and clean up burrs/particulate before mounting. Both of the drives on the bottom tray are in, although they're sort of hanging on the mounting screws in a way that I don't like much. The screws don't seem to go in far enough to tighten the drives to the tray so there's a few MM of slip. I guess I could cut down the screws or find shorter ones or maybe get some washers in there?
It did post on the first try and all the diagnostics came back clean, win10 pro installed, and now things get interesting.
I'm waiting on some aluminum sheet to craft a tray for the top drive or two and will need to do some additional bodywork on the rear case panel to get the USB cables needed for the 3rd/4th drives routed back inside the case. Also ordered a second stick of RAM; decided that for another $25 or so it was a reasonable add.
Ended up cutting down the CPU cooler backplate to get it to fit, made sure to sand any sharp edges and clean up burrs/particulate before mounting. Both of the drives on the bottom tray are in, although they're sort of hanging on the mounting screws in a way that I don't like much. The screws don't seem to go in far enough to tighten the drives to the tray so there's a few MM of slip. I guess I could cut down the screws or find shorter ones or maybe get some washers in there?
It did post on the first try and all the diagnostics came back clean, win10 pro installed, and now things get interesting.
I'm waiting on some aluminum sheet to craft a tray for the top drive or two and will need to do some additional bodywork on the rear case panel to get the USB cables needed for the 3rd/4th drives routed back inside the case. Also ordered a second stick of RAM; decided that for another $25 or so it was a reasonable add.
Finally returning to this after a very busy couple of weeks and way too much Zelda.
Put a few 1/8th holes in the case tonight with my dremel and some drillbits; went a lot smoother than I was anticipating, probably didn't even need to progress up through bit sizes as meticulously as I did. Very little cleanup as well, and some screws and rubber washers later here we are: Four drives are in the case. Only had to drill two holes since the vent grid is conveniently sized. Still have some cable managing to do to connect drive #4 and I need to find a shorter cable run for #3 - currently have several inches of cable leading out the COM port I/O shield opening to the rear USB3 - but there's still a few precious cubic cm to work with, so I'm optimistic.
The package is satisfyingly hefty for the size with all these HDDs in. Left the protective foil on the two top ones as a poor man's backplate, but I do have a piece of black polystyrene in there as a spacer to make sure there's no metal case contact on warping or anything weird. Unexpected fringe benefit of using the portable HDDs as a source drives: they've got LEDs. The whole case is white backlit now
Put a few 1/8th holes in the case tonight with my dremel and some drillbits; went a lot smoother than I was anticipating, probably didn't even need to progress up through bit sizes as meticulously as I did. Very little cleanup as well, and some screws and rubber washers later here we are: Four drives are in the case. Only had to drill two holes since the vent grid is conveniently sized. Still have some cable managing to do to connect drive #4 and I need to find a shorter cable run for #3 - currently have several inches of cable leading out the COM port I/O shield opening to the rear USB3 - but there's still a few precious cubic cm to work with, so I'm optimistic.
The package is satisfyingly hefty for the size with all these HDDs in. Left the protective foil on the two top ones as a poor man's backplate, but I do have a piece of black polystyrene in there as a spacer to make sure there's no metal case contact on warping or anything weird. Unexpected fringe benefit of using the portable HDDs as a source drives: they've got LEDs. The whole case is white backlit now
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